Table of Contents
Boot clip
| System | Body and boot |
|---|---|
| Handbook item | Not listed separately in the 1985 handbook (see below) |
| Sinclair part no. | Sold as “Boot clips” under C5674 317 on later spares lists |
| Hoover factory no. | not yet identified |
| Quantity per vehicle | 2 |
| Fits to | The boot pivots, inside each rear wheel arch |
Description
Holds the boot in place.
The boot pivots on two moulded bosses, one inside each rear wheel arch. A black C-shaped clip on each boss stops the boot sliding off its pivot. The clips are the only thing holding the boot on, and they're needed every time the boot comes off. Most rear-end work needs the boot removed: the drive belt, motor, rear brake, chain and control box fuses. So clips are easily lost, and many C5s are missing one or both.
Removal and fitting
From the Owner's Handbook, p. 26, “Boot removal”:
- Open the boot.
- Release the two retaining clips by pulling them downwards, away from the moulded boss.
- Spring the wheel arches outwards until the boot bosses are clear. The boot can now be removed.
- To refit, reverse the procedure and push the clips back onto the bosses.
C5Alive's fitting guide adds that once the pivots are free, the boot slides downwards towards the ground to come out. The clips simply pull off like circlips.
Maintenance
No maintenance needed. Keep the clips somewhere safe whenever the boot is off.
Known problems
- Lost clips. They're small, loose once removed, and easily misplaced. Original clips are scarce.
- Some C5s have had the clips removed by previous owners. A boot without clips can slide off its pivots.
Repairs, replacements and reproductions
Original part, then and now
| Source | Date | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ESG (Ellar Surplus Goods), Liverpool | Dec 1991 | £3.52 + VAT |
| MATCH, Rotterdam (code 18.317) | 17 Jan 1991 | ƒ25,- excl. BTW |
On these later spares lists, item 18 / C5674 317 is “Boot clips”. In the 1985 Owner's Handbook, item 18 / C5674 317 is the decal kit. The number appears to have been reused by the post-1985 parts sellers.
Reproductions
- I've made a recreation which you can download here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5341404
- C5owners.com also produced 3D-printed boot clips (sold in pairs) from 2013.
Diagram wanted: boot pivot and clip location, viewed from inside the wheel arch (source: Owner's Handbook fig. 42). See Diagrams wanted.
Related parts
Sources
- Sinclair C5 Owner's Handbook (1985), p. 26 (Boot removal, fig. 42) and pp. 30–31 (parts list)
- C5Alive.co.uk, QR Power Wiring Fitting Guide, step QR1 (v2, 24 Feb 2006)
- c5owners.com forum (closed to new posts, still readable):
- Wanted: C5 boot clips: C5mick, 2013
- Boot clips: Dan, Oct 2013